"Kid, that’s The Brood Empress!"

"Unless the gods themselves descend, it’s invincible. Unkillable!"

"If you want a kill, aim for the witch!"

The Lifeless Dreadgod gloated from the sidelines as Orion and Moriphara clashed, occasionally shouting unsolicited advice.

"It’s not the real Brood Empress. Just a projection."

"If her true form actually descended, this newborn world would be devoured alongside us."

Archbishop Kysar wasn’t the only one who saw through Moriphara’s facade; The Lifeless Dreadgod knew exactly what she was doing.

Boom!

Before the Dreadgod or Kysar could preach any further, Orion struck.

Rewriting The Weave of Reality was inevitable. But before he committed to that, Orion needed to see if the entities in front of him even had the right to demand a slice of the pie.

Within the realm of rules, Orion unleashed an indiscriminate assault against The Lifeless Dreadgod, Archbishop Kysar, and Moriphara. A chaotic free-for-all erupted. One moment, Orion was fighting a three-on-one battle; the next, they were all ganging up on Moriphara and her Brood Empress.

Power wasn’t a birthright. It was taken.

Soraya, Valkorath Realm.

"This place is incredible!"

Aurora stepped out of the Purification Tower, the lingering curses and malice entirely cleansed from her body. She stretched, feeling lighter than she had in months.

"Such a thorough cleansing is incredibly rare."

"I searched the Survivor’s Platform for ages, and no one offered anything close to this."

Kraken extended a tentacle and gently patted Aurora’s head. After sensing her stabilized condition, he relaxed.

"Let’s go. We’re heading to Dusk Castle. The others are waiting."

Inside the castle, magical crystal chandeliers bathed the circular hall in bright light. The group sat along a heavy wooden table. Orion stood at the head, carving a massive, whole roasted stag.

"I just came down from Blade’s Edge Peak," Orion said. "The brothers will contact you soon. They’ll give you the exact details of the plan."

He sliced off the largest leg, placed it on a silver platter, and personally handed it to Kraken.

"The ocean is too vast. My Dreadfin avatar will only lock down one region to fend off rival demigod powerhouses. I’ll be relying on you to handle the rest of the naval operations."

Kraken took the leg with a tentacle, tossed it whole into his maw, and chewed loudly. "Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered."

Orion nodded and carved another leg.

"I hear you’re pushing deeper into the Abyss?" Orion passed the second silver platter to Demon Makareth.

The demon took the meat, his eyes gleaming with clear delight. "Heh, you know me, Orion. I’m reckless. I just charge straight down, mostly just passing through the layers. I carved out a nice little territory for myself on the twenty-seventh layer of the Abyss. You should come visit sometime."

Orion nodded, accepting the invitation.

During the bonfire gathering at Blade’s Edge Peak, everyone—including the Commander—agreed that at the Arch Lord tier, Makareth was the public face of the Champions Alliance. They would absolutely need Makareth’s brute force in the upcoming war. It went without saying; the Deputy Commander had already made the arrangements.

"Where’s mine?" Isabella demanded.

She grudgingly admitted that Kraken and Makareth were stronger than her. She could tolerate them getting their cuts first. But she had no intention of letting Tangere and Aurora jump the line.

"You never change," Orion said.

He handed Isabella a leg, entirely uninterested in arguing. Orion knew her well. Isabella was like a wild mare; as long as you stroked her ego, she wouldn’t buck. He was also aware of the unspoken tension between them. She clearly had feelings for him. But given her arrogant and volatile nature, Orion feared that acknowledging that tension would ignite a fire that would burn his whole life down. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

So, he kept things strictly platonic. It was better to let it simmer naturally than force the issue and risk an explosion.

"I’m much stronger now, you know!"

As if to assert her rightful claim to the meat, Isabella shot Orion a pointed look, then cast a warning glare at Aurora and Tangere.

Aurora and Tangere wisely kept their mouths shut. Neither were even an Arch Lord yet; they were just here to ride the coattails of the heavy hitters. Orion, however, didn’t play favorites. He carved generous slices of the tender meat for both of them.

Returning to his seat, Orion stared at the sizzling roast. He sliced off a piece with his dagger, lifting it up. Amber juices ran down the dark steel blade.

"A stag must be bled with the sharpest blade, or the meat goes gamey," Orion said softly. "And the finest cuts only go to the strongest warriors."

He ate the meat, meeting the eyes of everyone at the table.

"Armor is cold. The fire is hot. Greed is bottomless. If you want more, you have to bleed for it. When hunting, you always run into wolves and scavengers. Casualties are inevitable."

It was a tactful warning, far less blunt than his usual style.

This time, the battlefield was the Titanion Realm. They were fighting his war. He and the Stoneheart Horde stood to gain the most. Unlike Caesar, Aerin, or Scarecrow, the people at this table were members of the Champions Alliance. They couldn’t refuse the draft. Where the Alliance pointed, they marched.

Orion wanted them to reap the rewards of this war, but he needed them to clearly understand the stakes. People died in wars. He couldn’t guarantee their survival.

"Orion, down in the Abyss, only the demons who charge first—and survive—get to eat. They get the best resources," Demon Makareth said. "That’s the law of survival. It’s the same everywhere. Fate decides who dies, but courage decides who gets rich. If I don’t die, I’m taking it all!"

The demon was unapologetically blunt. It was his signature style. He never played by the rules, carrying a strange, carefree grace amidst his own chaos.

"You talk too much, Orion!" Kraken raised a goblet, offering a toast. "No one in the Champions Alliance is an idiot, and none of them are cowards. When it comes to their own lives and futures, they think about it a lot harder than you do."

Truthfully, Kraken had spent the most time with Aurora, Isabella, Makareth, and Tangere lately. He knew exactly what they were thinking. Influenced by their peers, they had all become hardliners.

Rather than letting Orion preach before the battle, it was better to just let them crash into the enemy ranks. By then, everyone would know exactly what to do.

And anyone who didn’t deserved to die in the mud.